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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
For some years the real estate
Fifth avenue have had fat pickings of
piano trade of this city. They have
manded rents far in excess of those asked
from merchants engaged in other callings,
and the matter has been steadily going from
bad to worse. There is a feeling abroad
now, and in fact has been for some time, that
this studied "bluffing" must be "called,"
and the agitation has even extended out-
side the music trade. So effective has it
been that real estate men are realizing that
if they wish to secure new tenants or hold
old ones they must make a substantial re-
duction in their terms. And they are doing
so, for two of the largest buildings on
Fifth avenue have recently cut their rents
from twenty-five to forty per cent., and
others are expected to follow suit.
It is noteworthy that the only people ap-
parently unaffected by the depression for
the past few years have been the real es-
tate men. Instead of decreasing their
rents, they thought it their duty to increase
them, and the people have patiently borne
this treatment. Members of the piano
trade have been victims of real estate men
not only in this city, but in all the great
music trade centers. The situation in
Chicago, Boston, and elsewhere has been
and is pretty much the same as in New
York. It is time there was a change.
*
When The Review journeys around town
in quest of news each week, there is ample
opportunity for ascertaining the "present
condition and outlook " in many instances
even without asking a single question.
One glance frequently tells the whole story.
New stock, kept clean, and an absence of
unnecessary dust and dirt in and near the
warerooms, together with an interested,
business-like manner on the part of super-
intendents, clerks, and salesmen, means
much. Taken as a whole, there is no
necessity to carry a printed scale of per-
centages for ready reference when the
owners of such establishments state that
they have more business than they can pos-
sibly attend to. Of course, there are ex-
ceptions, but they are so few that these
only help to form the rule.
When Mr. F. B. Burns, the music stool
and scarf dealer, now at 95 Fifth avenue,
tells The Review that business is large and
constantly increasing, an unquestionable
confirmation is found without moving from
the spot. The stock, which is close at
hand, is new, various in style, choice in
quality, and kept in the best of order.
Men are all the time busily engaged in un-
packing, preparing, and shipping to all that Stewart did not locate in Baltimore
parts of the country. The atmosphere is until 18x2; at the "close of the eighteenth
century" he was a little boy in the "land
full of good, honest business.
o' cakes." So much by way of informa-
*
Banks M. Davison, of the White-Smith tion. No charge.
*
Music Publishing Co., Boston, was a visitor
In the great show-window of the J. &
to The Review sanctum on Tuesday of this
week. In the course of an informal chat C. Fischer warerooms on Union Square,
upon topics of general interest, he said: stands a beautiful trophy of sterling silver,
"We cannot complain in regard to busi- enameled. It is in good company, too, for
ness. In each of the different departments, close by is the Fischer trophy—their piano
namely, music printing, publishing, and No. 100,000. The silver trophy is vase
jobbfng, a degree of activity has been and shaped, nearly two feet in height. It is one
continues to be prevalent that is exceed- of the most elegant specimens of the silver-
ingly satisfactory. Our large printing smith's art ever produced in this country.
plant especially has been kept going It was made by George Shiebler & Co.,
steadily for the past three years, with only whose warerooms are immediately above
a week or ten days temporary let-up. The the Fischer warerooms, for Mr. Robert
sheet music trade is also especially good, Cox, of Edinburgh, a member of the Eng-
and our publications are meeting with in- lish parliament.
creased appreciation all over the country."
The value of the cup is $1,000. It is a
Mr. Davison is an able representative of present to the Woman's Champion Golf-
his noted house—a bright, forceful man of player of the United States and was won
ideas, an able musician and composer, and in October last by Miss Beatrice Hoyt, at
he is doing some effective work in forward- the Morristown links, New Jersey. The
ing the interests of American composers enameling, the largest ever made in that
form, includes Scotch plaid patterns and
by bringing their works to the front.
Mr. Davison left for home on Tuesday pictures of ancient St. Andrews, where
golf was first played.
evening.
* *
* *
There is one fact which it is well to bear
Those philanthropists who are trying to in mind in connection with the outlook for
still the noises of New York streets and so business. There is a great amount of idle
put an end to nervous diseases, should pre- money in the country, and as most of the
sent a testimonial to Dr. Senner, Commis- menacing features of the last twelve or
sioner of Immigration. The worthy of- fourteen months have been removed the
ficial has discovered that little German holders of this money are quite likely to
bands are imported here under contract, take the initiative and try to get some of
and more—that a musical padrone system it into business channels. Banks and cap-
exists. The Board of Inquiry on Ellis italists are quite willing to hold on to their
Island, Monday, ordered six men who had funds very tightly when affairs are on a
horns, trombones, and clarionets with downward grade, but when their accumu-
them, but who swore they were only ama- lations are excessive, they are very quick
teurs, to return to the Fatherland. They to jump the moment the turn in the situa-
arrived on the Furnessia a few days ago, tion is apparent.
and although they strenuously denied it, it
was easily learned that they were under
An article appearing in the Trade Extra
contract to rend the air, to torture the ears
of the Courier last week would lead one
of New Yorkers with wind instruments.
to believe that Geo. H. Champlain, the
Each was to be paid from $2.50 to $5 a
Boston dealer, had applied for membership
week by one Schulz, who came with them.
in the Boston Association and was rejected.
Although they all lived in the little village
Mr. Champlain never has applied for mem-
of Teltenbach, they declared they had
bership in the Association, and he cou!d
never seen each other until they met on the
not have been rejected. Therefore, the
Furnessia.
insinuation on the part of the Courier was
*
wholly false and apparently malicious.
* *
When the daily papers recently published
*
an item about an old piano owned by Carey
It is evident that the German manufac-
J. King which " came into the possession turers of musical instruments place a high
of his wife's family, way back in the clos- value on an American training for their
ing days of the eighteenth century," and sons. Several representatives of noted
which " was made for Governor Sevier by German houses at present are spending
J. Stewart of Baltimore," it was excusable some time in American factories. F.
on the grounds of ignorance of the facts; Rosener and F. Thurmer are gaining a
but when all the trade papers without any knowledge of the piano hammer covering
qualification republish this item at length business at Dolgeville, N. Y., while a son
we are somewhat amazed. It does not speak of the head of the Lochmann Music Works
well for the trade editors who should is undergoing a business training at Wm.
know something about trade history, when R. Gratz & Co.'s establishment in this
they want their readers who are not hope- city, and there are others.
lessly ignorant to believe this tommyrot
that Stewart made pianos in Baltimore the
Fred. J. Mabon, who has been away on a
"closing years of the eighteenth century." brief tour in the Mehlin interests, returned
In our issue of March 13 we explained to town last night.